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# dna

noun (DNA — uncountable)

«dna» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. DNA is the chemical inside the cells of every living thing that carries the instructions for how it grows, works and what it looks like. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dna/#m1)
2. DNA is passed from parents to children, which is why children often look like their parents. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dna/#m2)
3. (figurative) Something's «DNA» is the most basic part of what it is: «kindness is in our school's DNA». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dna/#m3)

### In the lessons

In science lessons DNA comes in inheritance and evolution: DNA is shaped like a twisted ladder called a double helix, it is found in the nucleus of a cell, and genes are small sections of it. In everyday life and stories, DNA tests help doctors, help police solve crimes (DNA from a hair or a drop of blood) and help families find relatives. It stands for deoxyribonucleic acid.

### Examples

- DNA is like a recipe book inside every cell. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dna/#x1)
- You got half your DNA from your mum and half from your dad. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dna/#x2)
- DNA is shaped like a twisted ladder called a double helix. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dna/#x3)
- The detectives found DNA on the cup. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dna/#x4)
- Identical twins have almost the same DNA. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dna/#x5)
- Scientists can read the DNA of plants and animals. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dna/#x6)
- Rosalind Franklin's pictures helped scientists see the shape of DNA. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dna/#x7)
- Being curious is part of our family's DNA. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dna/#x8)

### Note

Always written in capitals: DNA, said letter by letter, «dee-en-ay». Uncountable: say «DNA», not «a DNA» (but «a DNA test», «a DNA sample» are fine). Genes are parts of DNA; chromosomes are long packed strands of DNA. Myth: DNA does not decide everything — what you eat, learn and do also shapes you.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «dna» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dna/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«dna» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/dna.html) on Mova free.